A Name on a Note
The one day I could buy rare medicinal herbs happened to fall while I was away from the shop. Normally, I would have left the store in Caramel's hands and headed straight for the auction house. But today, I had half-decided to skip it. We had plenty of stock anyway, and it wasn't a key ingredient for our bestsellers. Missing it once or twice wouldn't cause any real problems. At first, I explained all the reasons why I didn't need to go.
But Eve only hunched her shoulders, looking somehow uncomfortable. “But… I’m fine……” She spoke as if she couldn’t bear the thought of getting in my way. …She wasn’t in the way at all, though. The way her eyes dulled with disappointment tugged at my heart. In the end, I decided to buy the herbs as planned.
“…Are you really okay with this?”
She gave a small nod. Truthfully, there wasn’t much to worry about. Thanks to the academy, security in this area was solid, and Caramel would be at the shop. Nothing major would happen while I was gone.
…Of course, despite what I told myself, my feet still felt heavy as I tried to leave.
“Caramel, contact me right away if anything comes up.”
“This is what, the fifth time you’ve said that? Just go already, don’t worry!”
“Fair enough. She might actually feel more comfortable with you here than with me.”
The moment I finally steeled myself and opened the door—
“Have a safe trip…~”
Eve bowed politely. She fidgeted with the hem of my coat, small hands clasped neatly in front of her as she managed the awkward farewell. This was the same girl who still struggled to speak to me, someone who must have felt like a stranger. Her courage brought a helpless smile to my face.
…When was the last time someone had seen me off like this?
“Alright. I’ll be back soon. Eve, make sure you take your afternoon medicine, okay?”
“Yes…”
“Don’t worry, sir. I’ll keep a good eye on her.”
It was early morning. The winter sun rose lazily over the streets. I hurried along the paths that still carried the chill scent of dawn.
“I’ll finish this quickly and head straight back.”
This might have been the first time I’d ever rushed to return home.
Meanwhile, back at the shop, Caramel stretched with a big yawn and glanced over at Eve. The little bell above the door had been silent for a while now, but Eve still lingered near the window, pacing restlessly. She was probably following the teacher with her eyes long after he’d disappeared. The way the little girl kept stealing glances outside, chasing a shadow that was already gone, made Caramel’s lips curve into an unconscious smile.
“Eve~”
She must have felt anxious being left alone with someone she barely knew. Caramel called out to her in a gentle, soothing tone.
“Do you like sweet things? Want to make something yummy together?”
“…?”
“There’s a drink you can make with herbs. It’s our shop’s secret specialty—only the regulars know about it. And guess what? I invented it! So? Interested?”
Even though Eve hadn’t said a word yet, Caramel was already pulling out glass cups and ingredients.
“Did you know? This herb tastes amazing when you mix it with sweet caramel sauce. Sounds weird, right? Just try it once.”
The drink was a latte based on Bell Vine, an herb that helped with headaches and mild fevers. The recipe was simple. First, grind the herb finely, dissolve it in water, and stir. The mixture would foam up and expand like bread. Then you added a berry mix, a spoonful of grape jam, plenty of caramel sauce, ice, and sparkling water.
“My mom apparently craved caramel sauce the whole time she was pregnant with me. That’s why she named me Caramel. Funny, right? I guess if she’d eaten chocolate sauce instead, she would’ve named me Chocolate. Like I was some kind of puppy or something.”
For the final touch, she added a lemon slice as garnish, and a rather impressive-looking drink was complete.
“Well, I like it too. Caramel. It’s delicious.”
Caramel handed the cup to Eve. The girl accepted it somewhat dazedly, bowed politely, and awkwardly lifted the cup to her lips.
“How is it? Good, right? It’s tasty, isn’t it!”
Eve hadn’t even taken a proper sip yet, so she quickly swallowed. The fizzy carbonation spread across her tongue with bright berry flavor and a refreshing lemon scent. There was a slight bitterness from the herb, but Caramel’s sticky sweetness washed it away almost instantly. Eve fiddled with the cup, answering shyly.
“……It’s delicious.”
“Really? That’s a relief. The Bell Vine in here helps with headaches and brings down slight fevers. The teacher mentioned you had a bit of a temperature, so drink it slowly. It comes from a plant that looks like this. Cute, isn’t it?”
…Nod.
“But if you eat the herb on its own it’s way too bitter for kids to handle. That’s why turning it into a drink like this makes it easy to finish. The downside, according to my little siblings, is that they start lying about having headaches every single day just to get more.”
Nod.
“So? Feeling a little better now that you’ve had something sweet?”
“…Yes.”
“Are you nervous being left alone?”
“……….”
Eve flinched, shoulders twitching. She tilted her drink this way and that, trying to cool the awkward anxiety bubbling inside her, but the very action only made her feel more exposed. She grew embarrassed.
“Still, you don’t have to worry too much. The teacher will be back soon.”
“…………Yes…”
Eve glanced quickly at the wooden door, then turned away just as fast and took another sip. Caramel watched her with quiet fascination. She’d only known the girl for a few days, yet Eve acted like a child who’d been separated from her parent—restless, tense, unable to settle. Was this the kind of bond that could form in such a short time?
‘She said she’d been wandering the streets all alone.’
In a situation where she had no one to rely on, the teacher had been the last adult to reach out a hand. It only made sense that she would wait for him and follow him so closely. Though the man himself didn’t seem to fully understand how she felt.
Ding~
“…!”
The clear sound of the bell broke the quiet as the door opened. Eve, who had been curled in on herself moments ago, turned toward the entrance with eyes full of expectation. Of course, there was no way the teacher who had left just ten minutes earlier was already back.
Caramel quickly wiped the smile from her face and greeted the customer brightly.
“Welcome! What can I help you find today?”
This time it was someone looking for headache medicine. After a brief chat about symptoms, Caramel packaged the remedy with practiced ease. Once the customer paid and left, she noticed Eve looking a little deflated.
Caramel gently stroked the girl’s hair.
“If you keep playing with me, he’ll be back before you know it.”
Eve nodded. Thanks to the drink, she felt a little closer than before.
“Or would you like to watch me work? Hmm~ All I really do is package the medicines the teacher makes and hand them over, though.”
Despite her words, Caramel was already moving quickly, preparing a spot at the counter for Eve to sit.
“When a customer comes in, you greet them. If they tell you what medicine they’re looking for or describe their symptoms, you listen and give them the right remedy. That’s all. Pretty simple, right?”
Eve listened with wide eyes, then gave one firm nod.
Ding~
The bell rang at just the right moment. Eve, who still wasn’t mentally prepared, faced the customer with a tense expression. The visitor was a sturdy young man wearing a red cap. When he saw Eve sitting at the counter, he let out a short, surprised laugh.
What should I do… As Eve hesitated, Caramel’s earlier words came back to her. When a customer arrives, greet them first.
“Wel…come…”
She bowed politely.
“Hey there. Hello.” The young man smiled kindly. “Is Mr. Simon not in today?”
A brief silence.
“…?”
The unfamiliar name left Eve tilting her head in confusion. Simon…? Simon? Who was that?
Caramel stepped in to answer for the flustered girl.
“Ah! The teacher stepped out for a bit. He should be back in the afternoon… Is there something we can help you with?”
“Yes. I’m a mail carrier with a delivery for Mr. Simon.”
“I see. Thank you. I can take it for him.”
“Sure. Could you sign here, please? Just write the name of the person accepting it on behalf of the recipient.”
He handed over a small package and left the shop. Caramel turned to the still-bewildered Eve and explained.
“That’s the teacher’s name.”
“His name…?”
“Yep. Simon. The teacher’s name is Simon.”
“Simooon……”
Eve murmured the name as if tasting it. She looked a little downcast, as though she hadn’t expected to learn it like this for the first time. Watching her, Caramel thought for a moment before coming up with a clever idea.
“How about we give that sneaky teacher who didn’t even tell us his name a little warning?”
“This should count as coming back quickly, right?”
Buying the herbs had gone smoother than usual. Part of that was because I’d hurried. It was still afternoon, and the winter sun hadn’t yet set. I arrived at the shop to the familiar jingle of the bell.
“I’m back.”
“Welcome home, sir.”
“Ah, Caramel. Where’s Eve?”
I brushed the snow from my shoulders as I asked. The warm glow of the fireplace was already starting to melt the frost on my coat. Instead of answering, Caramel raised a finger to her lips.
“Shh!”
I followed her playful gesture and saw Eve fast asleep on the sofa.
“…She must have been tired. She fell right to sleep.”
“She did have a slight fever. She was probably exhausted. Anything happen while I was gone?”
“Oh, plenty. Did you really not even tell the kid your name?”
“My name…? Huh? Oh… now that you mention it…”
Come to think of it, there had never been a good moment to bring it up. Caramel suddenly held something out to me. It was a small note no bigger than the palm of my hand. On it was written the name ‘Simon.’
“Did you write this?”
“My handwriting isn’t this neat.”
“Eve wrote it…? That’s impressive.”
“Right? She must have learned it somewhere.”
I stared down at the little piece of paper. She did say she liked drawing. In one corner was a shy, uncertain doodle.
…Was that supposed to be me?
Just a name and a little drawing. That was all. Yet for some reason, I couldn’t stop smiling.